This patent application relates generally to seat belts and safety belt systems for occupant protection.
FIG. 1 is an exemplary prior art seat belt system. Such system as illustrated is a four point system comprising a seat belt retractor 22, a seat belt 24 and a buckle assembly 26 adapted to be secured to a vehicle frame in a known manner. Also provided in this prior art system is a shoulder belt shown as 30 attached via an anchor 32 to a reinforced portion of the vehicle proximate its roof line 34. The shoulder belt includes a tongue plate 36 adapted to be received within a connector 38 of known variety which is similarly secured to the vehicle structure in a known manner. In the illustrated four point system when the seat belt tongue plate 28 is removed from its buckle 26 the retractor retracts same so that when not in use the seat belt is stored within the retractor. This is not the case with regard to the shoulder belt 30 since the illustrated system does not include a shoulder belt retraction mechanism. Upon disengagement of the tongue plate 36 from its corresponding connector 38 the shoulder belt 30 lies loosely about the seat 40 or dangles loosely somewhere within the passenger compartment. This arrangement at a very minimum provides a source of inconvenience to the occupant in that the tongue plate 36 may be trapped between the vehicle side wall and seat 40, be positioned within the door jamb, 35 damaged, etc.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for storing the latch plate of a shoulder belt when not in use. A further object of the present invention is to improve upon prior art seat belt systems An additional object of the present invention is to provide a shoulder belt storage mechanism that is easy to manufacture and of modest incremental cost.
Accordingly, the invention comprises: a one-piece buckle assembly for storing a latch plate of a safety belt when not restraining an occupant of a vehicle. More specifically, the buckle assembly comprises a base and a cover defining a first opening to provide a slot for receiving the latch plate of the safety belt. The assembly also includes a lock plate having a resilient stem portion cantilevered from a portion of the base proximate the entrance of the slot, and movable in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of insertion of the latch plate. The lock plate is integrally formed as part of the stem portion and is positioned in the path of the latch plate and forms a lower surface of the slot. The lock plate includes lock means for engaging an opening in the latch plate and a release button formed as an integral part of the lock plate for moving the lock means out from the latch plate opening to permit retraction of the latch plate.